The Jamestown City Council’s Housing Committee on heard details about the proposed Gateway Lofts housing project during it’s Jan. 14 meeting at city hall.

Representatives from the organizations involved with the Project – including Southern Tier Environments for Living, Community Helping Hands, and the YWCA – each spoke to the committee to explain how each organization would play a role in working with residents, as well as funding sources for the project.

The Gateway Lofts project involves converting the Gateway Center on Water Street into an estimated 40 housing units for low income individuals and families members, along with about 40 other units for single parents seeking housing assistance from the YWCA, as well as non-violent individuals with addiction or mental health issues and overseen by STEL. The total cost of the renovation project is estimated to cost $31 million.

Committee Chair Vicki James raised concern about the proximity of different types of residents living in the building, which would include those recovering from drug addiction and single parent families that had young children. Officials noted that the building would be staffed 24 hours a day and that security systems would also be in place to ensure safety for all residents.

Committee Member Maria Jones also expressed concern about how the facility would operate once open and how it would ensure all residents could communicate concerns are problems so that could properly be addressed.

In October 2018, the Jamestown Planning Commission informed project developers they would have to address environmental concerns before the project could move forward. So far the group has yet to address the concerns.

Members of the Jamestown Public Safety Committee listen to representatives from the Gateway Lofts proposal give details about where the project is at.